Domestic natural gas well completions rose 13% in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago, according to figures released by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Completed U.S. gas wells jumped to 6,435, while domestic oil well completions rose only 2% to 2,329 in the third quarter from the comparable period in 2003. Dry holes fell 3% to 1,113 during the quarter, the API said in its “2004 Quarterly Well Completion Report.”

Total exploratory completions fell 8% and development completions were up 10% compared to the same quarter last year, the API said. The petroleum group also reported that total estimated footage drilled of 53,031,000 feet in the third period rose 12% over the same period in 2003.

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